Barcode Labels Archive

The ubiquitous barcode label

Everyone is familiar with the ubiquitous barcode label. They feature on just about every product you buy today.

Barcodes were introduced decades ago and although they are familiar to all, many people still don’t understand how the barcode system works. Basically, each barcode is unique to the product it is printed on. This unique code can be read by a scanner and then identified against a database of all stored barcodes on a computer system. This system can then hold important information about the item, such as the item’s serial number or identification number, the price of the item and other information such as stock levels of the item.

Some barcode essentials

It’s easy for everyone to see that barcode technology has made the pricing and selling of products much simpler. Every product is now assigned a barcode label and when scanned at a point of sale terminal the item description and price is displayed for the cashier. When the item has been purchased, the stock quantities in the store are automatically adjusted and the stock taking and reordering of products becomes simpler too.

Durable barcode labels

Barcode labels are not usually expected to be exposed to harsh conditions such as high temperatures or dirty or greasy environments. In fact, the barcode labels which we are all familiar with would likely not survive for any length of time at all if they were exposed to just the standard conditions inside the average factory in the UK.

For businesses which need to use barcode technology in harsh environments, such as in heated rooms, cold stores or when products are exposed to chemicals, there are other options available.

The use of pre-printed barcode labels

As a nation we are all used to seeing barcodes in the retail sector. They have become a ubiquitous part of daily life.

A barcode is a form of data, which is readable by a machine, which provides information about the object to which it is attached. It is classically made up of varying widths and spacing of vertical lines, although recent evolutions include rectangles, dots, hexagons and other geometric patterns.

Reduce human error using barcode labels

For your business to run effectively and at a profit you have to implement systems which don’t just work, they have to work well. Due to the economic downturn many businesses are turning to lean ways of running to enable them to trade without making a loss. And one way they do this is by streamlining their inventory tracking processes to reduce overheads.

Asset checking using barcode scanning technology

Perhaps the best way of keeping track of all the assets you own is to keep a database which records all these assets. The database can then be filtered by asset location, or asset type, or even when the asset is due for its next operational check. However, keeping a database in an electronic form is the easy past of keeping a check on your assets; the hard part is keeping track of the assets themselves.

Barcode labels for retail establishments

Barcode labels are used on a host of different products so individual product types can be identified. These are generally printed onto the merchandise at the time of product manufacture, but in some instances it becomes necessary to affix a new barcode label on a product or a replacement barcode labels on the product. This is when stick-on barcode labels come into their own.

Adding artwork to barcode labels

Barcode labels no longer have to be a stick-on label featuring just the coding stripes themselves. Barcode labels can now feature graphics, logos and just about any type of artwork you want. This can make your barcode labels unique and help to improve your brand image and display a marketing message to the masses.

Some advantages of using barcode labels

Due to advances in technology, barcode labelling has now replaced the usual method of pricing goods for sale. Barcode labels are a series of continuous white spaces and black stripes of different widths which can be scanned and interpreted by a barcode scanner.

The coding of barcode labels is done using different symbols that can be read and interpreted by designated software or a barcode scanner. This type of system is used in a variety of applications for quick billing, precise calculations and maintaining inventory records.

Advantages of using barcode labels